Not sure there's much that can be done simply to the electronics – it is what it is, looks like a magnet and sensor.

But how about extending the mechanical arm to increase the pedal travel necessary to move the magnet? Or working the arm via a second lever arranged so that large foot movements are necessary to move the magnet slightly.

Dave

Nothing more than a hall effect switch by the looks of it

We really need to see all of the components you have to control the motor , that switch could be used for sensing the footswitch position so the speed controler is then switched on and from there pushing down further on the pedal increases speed via a variable resistor or rotary encoder inside the motor controller box.

Apologies for being a pedant but it might help. I think the sensor is a linear Hall effect device rather than a switch. It produces a DC voltage proportional to the proximity of a magnet on the plastic arm. (For safety there might also be an on/off switch inside that piston thingy?)

Hall effect sensors as used in Tachometers contain a built-in amplifier arranged to trigger so that the output is either fully on or fully off. It doesn't make sense to use that type in a speed controller.

Unlike a potentiometer the Hall effect arrangement has nothing to wear out, is robust and electrically safe. The motor controller probably doesn't care how its control voltage is produced, provided it stays within range, so there are any number of ways of varying a few volts that would drive it. But because the mechanical part is more complicated than the electronics, I'd be inclined to stick with what you have, making the magnet travel more slowly for a given foot movement with a longer lever, or levers.

Just a suggestion. What works best for you depends on what you have available, not what I think.

Dave

looking at the video link from blowlamp

at 19:59 you can see what looks like the light from a red LED

I assume the speed control is controlled by the amount of reflected light from the movable flag / reflector

the mod with the graded reflector giving a better range of control

as MichaelG says looking up the device part data sheet will make things easier

may be its like this Sharp GP2S700HCP

https://cdn.sharpsde.com/fileadmin/products/Optoelectronics/Isolation%20Devices/Specs_Photointerrupter/GP2S700HCP_03Oct05_DS_D3-A02201FEN.pdf

John

Edited By john swift 1 on 20/06/2018 17:47:59